Going Under
by ForestFireSong
Summary: Sayaka was a sinking ship, and she was dragging Kyoko under.


_"Hey, Kyoko, c'mon! Get in the water with me!"_

_"No way, I'm staying here."_

_"Come on, you're no fun..."_

_"W-whatever..."_

It was always water with Sayaka. Never mind her hair or blue-themed magical girl outfit, every time Kyoko was around her it was a tightened chest and a momentary loss of how to breathe.

Although, no matter how many times Sayaka managed to drown Kyoko she was also most of the time the gasp of air Kyoko needed.

It was a hard thing to admit, even to herself. Their relationship had somehow grown out of hatred and evolved into a sort of playful, sometimes argumentative, friendship. Two magical girls that completely needed each other to their own chagrin. Both testing the waters to see how long this teasing, nearly unbelievable relationship could last. Kyoko didn't know how to swim, but she managed to flail about.

_"Where'd you get that pocky?"_

_"I didn't steal it, calm down. Want some?"_

_"..."_

_"You're about the only one I'd share it with, you know."_

_"What an honor...Well, all right."_

Lately though, Kyoko wasn't the only one with trouble. Sayaka had always paddled tentatively as a magical girl, her strokes graceful and clean when she wasn't. Now she sliced through the water viciously, gasping for air she couldn't get.

They used to frequent the movie theaters or the arcade, or just wander around, seeing where their feet would lead them. Teasing, laughing, fighting. Only with Sayaka would Kyoko actually buy her food. She understood Sayaka's morals standards even if she begrudged them and found them pointless. Considering what they were.

Now the glow was gone from Sayaka's eyes. Her step was heavy. Every night, she was fighting witches. The current pushed them both, but this time, Kyoko's strokes were stronger.

_"...that's just a familiar, you know. I don't think fighting so many is a good idea."_

_"'m fine."_

_"You don't look it. Why are you such a stubborn idiot sometimes?!"_

_"..."_

_"Are you not even going to answer?"_

_"Why does it matter anymore...?"_

_"Sayaka...how's that Kyosuke boy lately?"_

Sayaka had been air. Sayaka had been water. But now Sayaka had lost her playful easygoing nature, her lightness. Now there were weights tied to her shoulders. Lost love, lost hope. Sayaka was going under. Sayaka was being drowned.

Kyoko wanted to give her that love, that hope. Sayaka had done the same for her. For some reason, she wanted to just take Sayaka in her arms and give her all those sunny afternoons after school spent on the streets of Mitakihara, talking sometimes, walking in companionable silence others. For the first time in awhile, Kyoko had something she wanted to protect. For all her talk of being a defender of justice, Sayaka's feelings were so fragile, and maybe Kyoko could've kept them safe.

But they were magical girls. They couldn't do that. There was no way to escape their inevitable fate.

Sayaka was a sinking ship, and she was dragging Kyoko under.

For so long Kyoko had only tried to survive each and every day, for herself. This was strange. This was unexpected.

_"Sayaka..."_

_"K-Kyoko..."_

_"Ah…come here...please stop crying..."_

They ended. The peaceful times ended, and Sayaka began sinking, began succumbing.

Kyoko couldn't swim. She'd never learned. But the moment Sayaka's strength began to fail, she dived in right after her.

She'd known, from the very moment she'd met Sayaka, that they'd never be able to fight the current. One day, the life of a magical girl would take its course on both of them and they'd suffer their fate. But somehow, they'd found each other. And after meeting Sayaka, Kyoko realized that going down with someone you love is better than just waiting to drown.

So she took Sayaka's hand as they both drifted through the blue water, light far and unreachable above. Bubbles drifted around them, and even under the water, there still appeared to be tears in the blue-haired girl's eyes.

All Kyoko could do was hold on, to the very end, as they both descended under.

_"Don't worry, Sayaka. I know you don't want to be alone."_

**A/N: Started out as a literal interpretation of the picture for "And I'm Home" but turned out to be mostly metaphorical. **


End file.
